Sleep issues revisited
Aug. 4th, 2008 10:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aubreym
Over the last couple of days Tai has added some fun new behaviors to his falling asleep at night routine. He gets so tired, but resists sleep. He shakes his head and squirms and flails... and now he screams. This is not play shrieking, this is not baby crying. This is temper tantrum screaming. It took me aback when he first started doing it. It still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I am trying to hold to Lisa's mantras - "This too shall pass" and "He's fine." Especially the second part. Sometimes I get this vague worry that Tai's having a seizure when he's doing his 'I will not sleep' dance. This is not helped by Tom saying, "Are you sure babies do this? Isn't it an autistic thing?" Thanks, way to keep me from overreacting.
Tonight Tai was in my arms (after wearing Tom out), screaming away, when suddenly something struck me funny and I cracked up. He stopped mid-scream and looked at me. I laughed again. He smiled. The freak-out was averted, for the moment. I'm not sure whether this will ever work again, but it was great tonight.
Poor Tai just doesn't like to sleep. He has started napping a bit, though. I tend to get an hour in the morning, an hour in the early afternoon.... and then, just the past few days he's been falling asleep for an hour around 5. I think this may be part of the problem in terms of getting him to sleep in the evening. I have the "Healthy Sleep Habits" book, but I still haven't read it. Maybe it can help by osmosis?
I cannot believe he's almost 6 months old.
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no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 02:26 pm (UTC)Some things to try: start bedtime earlier before his major sleep signs start. Try swaddling or unswaddling (whichever you are currently not doing). A white noise machine can help.
You might try to get him to lengthen his early afternoon nap a bit to about an hour and a half or even two if you can manage it and try keeping him awake at 5 and put him to bed at 6. Sadie went to bed at 6/6:30 for a long time basically from 6m-18 mos. For the nap thing, wait a couple minutes to see if he calms himself down and then if not, go in and repeat your bedtime routine (nurse, rock, etc) and try to get him down again even if it's just for another 5 minutes. Putting him down for a nap a bt earlier can lengthen the nap as well.
He also is likely getting more mobile and that can piss baby off too with re: sleeping. Ask Moxie (http://www.askmoxie.org/sleep/) has written a bunch on sleep - some of which I agree with and some of which I don't (CIO).
no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 03:46 pm (UTC)Best description EVER.
No other real advice to add, other than to echo what has already been written. It sounds like he's at another crux developmentally and/or about to undergo a growth spurt. Good luck!!!!
He's gotten so big since I met him at Blue's birthday! What a beautiful boy you've got there, lady!
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Date: 2008-08-05 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-06 05:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-06 05:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-06 06:04 am (UTC)At your suggestion, I got him down at 6:45 tonight (aiming for 6, but running late as always). He actually slept until 10 (with only a couple of brief periods of half-wakefulness). Even though he's awake now, he's in a good mood and we're going to bed together soon. I'm going to work on the other suggestions too...
and thank you for the link! I'd bookmarked Ask Moxie before Tai was born, then promptly forgot.